Bob Huggins critical of officiating after another WVU loss at Kansas

West Virginia coach Bob Huggins, who was ejected for arguing with officials in the final seconds of Saturday's loss at Kansas, pointed to the disparity in the teams' number of free-throw attempts as the main source of his ire.

No. 13 Kansas took 35 free throws, while West Virginia took two.

"I've been in this game a long time," Huggins said after his 20th-ranked team's 77-69 loss. "That can't happen. You have no chance to win."

The Jayhawks were called for 14 fouls, but only one came on West Virginia's 61 shot attempts. The Mountaineers were called for 26 fouls. Kansas made 26 of its 35 attempts.

"I've been doing this 40 years. I don't think I've ever been in a game where we shot two free throws," Huggins said. "I don't think I've ever been in a game where the disparity is 35-2. I've never been in a game like that.

"That sad part is [the Jayhawks] don't need it. That's a good team. They're very well-coached. They don't need that. They don't need somebody to do that. I'm going to tell you what: There's something wrong to do that to kids who are playing their hearts out."

Kansas overcame a 12-point deficit in the second half and trailed 66-58 with 3:47 remaining.

In a key sequence in the final 28 seconds, West Virginia's Daxter Miles Jr. passed up a 3-point attempt that could have given the Mountaineers the lead. Instead, his pass led to a turnover, and Kansas sealed the win with two free throws.

After telling reporters that Miles should have taken the shot, Huggins said the officials should have to entertain reporters' questions about their performance.

"Officials want to be part of the game, but they don't want to be the part to the game that has to answer. Why aren't they here answering your questions?" the coach said.

Asked what he told his team after the game -- West Virginia's sixth loss in as many visits to Allen Fieldhouse -- Huggins said, "It wasn't their fault."